Being a Jedi on the run gives Star Wars Jedi: Survivor protagonist Cal Kestis very few options. With his Order decimated and the Galactic Empire hot on his heels, he must turn to whatever allies and help he can get. This means that in addition to his Jedi training and weapons, Cal must also make use of other techniques and gadgets.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order outfitted Cal with several tools. He was given an Underwater Breather by Partisan Lieutenant Mari Kosan to increase his exploration capabilities in bodies of water and was even able to procure some Climbing Claws from a fallen Nightbrother on Dathomir. But Cal's most invaluable tool is also his closest ally: the droid BD-1. Based on promotional material for the game, BD-1 is undoubtedly making a return in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. But in addition to its past contributions, it would be nice for the droid to play a more active role in the sequel.
BD-1 Constantly Aids Cal Throughout Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
BD-1 was first discovered by Cal on the planet Bogano. After a short introduction between the two, BD-1 accompanies Cal on his interplanetary adventures. It is later revealed that BD-1 was an exploration droid that accompanied Jedi Master Eno Cordova as he studied the Zeffo - a Force-sensitive species. Cordova programmed BD-1 to forget its past until such a time that it could find someone it trusted to reveal its past to, which eventually became Cal. With its final directive from Cordova complete, BD-1 diverted all of its efforts to aid Cal in his efforts to rebuild the fallen Jedi Order.
In Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, BD-1 is almost always found perched on Cal Kestis's shoulder. It comes with a thruster that allows it to hover, a light to brighten dimly lit areas for Cal and itself, and was even upgraded to control select Imperial machines and droids. BD-1 was also outfitted with a motor that allows Cal to ride ziplines upwards. But BD-1's most important feature is its Healing Stim dispenser which provides Cal with a much-needed health boost during his adventures. Cal wouldn't get far in his first adventure without BD-1 at his side, and both he and the droid know this.
BD-1 Should Be A More Active Companion In Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Unfortunately, most of BD-1's features in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order are relegated to roles that are outside of combat. The ziplines and light segments are location-specific and stim dispersal is just a unique animation that plays whenever Cal needs a quick pick-me-up. That leaves BD-1's droid hacking features, which require players to press a specific button when close to a hackable Star Wars droid. Hacking a droid causes it to ally with Cal and fight off any foes in his general area. It is a great way for players to take some aggro off them while dishing some damage at the same time. Sadly, the means for getting droid allies can be quite cumbersome, especially in the middle of combat.
With this in mind, it would be good for Respawn Entertainment to implement features similar to droid hacking in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. The original feature reminds players that BD-1 is an active companion that helps them on their journey. Having him do things that are proactive rather than reactive would make his presence felt during combat. The developers have already done a good job at giving BD-1 a voice and personality (as evidenced by how Cal converses with the droid so that players can understand its myriad of beeps and boops), now all they have to do is translate those dialogues into actions. Being able to order BD-1 to stun select enemies or manipulate objects in the environment would give players more combat options. This would also make its separation from Cal (should such sequences take place) more jarring, as players would realize just how important the droid is to the core gameplay loop. There is a reason why BD-1 accompanies Cal Kestis on his journey, and players should feel this throughout the entirety of the sequel.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor launches on April 28, 2023, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
